Hitler the Cat, Star of the 1939 World’s Fair

Hitler the Cat, Star of the 1939 World's Fair

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You might think that being an Adolf Hitler doppelgänger in 1939 would hinder one’s success, but this cat was a star at that year’s World’s Fair.

Little is known about Hitler the Cat or his/her proud handler, Jeanne Ritzen, but we do know they took part in the fair's Jitterbug contest. Hitler the Cat was also photographed in the arms of an unidentified young man in traditional dress. In the photo, Hitler is trying to get to “Sam the alligator,” who is resting on two chairs pushed together. Conductor Ben Bernie and his band play alongside Hitler and Sam and are the only ones who look happy with the situation.

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The next World’s Fair will be in Milan, Italy, in 2015, but it seems unlikely a Hitler cat will make an appearance. Luckily, you can visit Cats That Look Like Hitler to get your fix: The site aims to aid cat owners who “wake up in a cold sweat every night wondering if he’s going to up and invade Poland.”

Alexis Coe holds an MA in history. Her work has appeared in the Atlantic, the Bay Citizen, and most often in SF Weekly, where writes the columns"Recent Acquisitions" and "Read Local." Before moving to San Francisco, she was the research curator at the New York Public Library. Follow her on Twitter: @Alexis_Coe.